1. Field
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a drawer system and method for carrying and transporting tools and equipment on a vehicle. In particular, the embodiments are directed to a drawer system integrated into the rear section of a utility truck and that includes a drawer accessible from either side of the truck. Further, the drawer system of the present invention includes catch points that permit the drawer to be securely arranged in a plurality of extension positions.
2. Related Art
Utility trucks commonly incorporate the use of drawer systems to store and transport tools. Such drawer systems are generally integrated into the sides of the utility truck, usually within the truck's rearward section. Such configurations permit each side of the truck to hold several drawers. The drawers can be designed in various shapes and sizes to store and carry different types of tools and material. The length and width of utility trucks are natural constraints on drawer size.
Standard drawers generally have a length that is shorter than one-half the width of the truck. Because the drawers are normally positioned on opposite sides of the truck, this size restriction ensures that the drawers will not interfere with each other while in the closed position. This restriction also permits a user to access an individual drawer only from a side of the truck where the drawer is located. Thus, in order to access a first drawer located on a driver's side of the truck, the user must position himself on the driver's side. Alternatively, if the user needs to access a second drawer located on a passenger's side of the truck, the user must walk around to the passenger's side to access the drawer.
In addition, standard drawers are generally only secured, or latched in place, when in a fully retracted, or closed, position. For instance, if the utility truck is parked on an angled surface, the drawers can unexpectedly move or shift due to gravity. Such instability can pose security and safety hazards because of the size and weight of the tools that are generally carried by utility trucks.